New Year's Day
by randomle26
Summary: [Sequel to Please Be Home for Christmas] And so we're told this is the golden age and gold is the reason for the wars we wage. Though I want to be with you, be with you night and day. Nothing changes on New Year's Day.


**AN: Here's a New Year's one shot…it's a sequel for **_**Please Be Home for Christmas**_

**Please ignore the errors and I hope it is related to the holiday theme**

**Song Used: ****New Year's Day**** by U2**

* * *

_All is quiet on New Year's Day__  
__A world in white gets underway__  
__I want to be with you__  
__Be with you night and day__  
__Nothing changes on New Year's Day__  
__On New Year's Day_

* * *

_**Raven**_

"Bruce said he's going to be in Prague for New Years," declares Richard. He wraps his arms around my waist as we're sitting on the couch.

I smile at him, "I don't think Alex cares what we're doing for New Years just as long that fiasco from last year doesn't repeat." Richard puts his hand up defensively, "It was an accident! I didn't mean to break the window!"

I kiss his cheek, "I wasn't as angry as Alfred was, babe." He pulls me closer to him, "We could always go somewhere, and Bruce said we were free to use the private jet when we feel like it." I shake my head, "We aren't going to exploit your foster-father's money by flying around la-di-da."

He plants small kisses on my neck, "You're cute you know that?" I try to push his sweet lips away, "Stop trying to distract me, Richard!" He moves his mouth lower, nibbling on my collarbone, "I think it'd be nice to go somewhere tropical for New Years. And I know what you say about doing things on New Years forces you to do things for the rest of the year, but that would be nice no? Everyday of the year on a nice island…like Hawaii!"

"Do you not like our nice little apartment?" I ask, mockingly.

We had changed apartments when Alex began high-school, knowing _my_ son would probably cherish privacy. It was very similar to the apartment Alex and I used to share; the only difference was there was a separate area for a dining table and two rooms (far apart from each other of course).

Before Richard answers, I stare at my wrist watch, "I gotta go, honey." Richard whimpers against my neck, "Why? I thought it was Raven and Richard time!"

"Karen wanted to take me out for a girl's day." I saw him smile at this. He was glad that I had cut back my hours at the diner. In his words, I didn't look like an actor on _The Walking Dead_ anymore and was grateful that I wasn't stressing myself out as much. I was still doing charity work and all but I was working at reasonable hours now. I had complained to Richard about making money so Alex could get into a good college, but he always argued that we can worry about it next year. One more year and my baby boy will be a legal adult.

I remove myself from Richard, "I'll see you tonight. We'll have a chicken and some mashed potatoes." He kisses my nose, "Kinda like my favorite Christmas?"

I raise my eyebrow at my husband, "That was your favorite Christmas?" He nods proudly, "Yeah. It was the Christmas I got my family back."

* * *

_**Richard**_

"Dad I'm home!" announces Alex as he walks into the apartment. I smile at my son, "How was Tim?" Alex shrugs, "Same old, same old. Just played some video games and ate pizza. Where's mom?"

Alex was always closer to his mom, which was completely understandable (seeing as his mom had taken care of him by herself since he was eight). Alex used to have this impending fear that someone would take his mom away from him causing him to cry in the middle of the night for at least a year. My seventeen-year old son claims he doesn't have nightmares like that, but I could see it in his eyes that he still had nightmares like that.

"She's out with her friends." Alex nods and begins walking to his room until I call, "Alex can I run an idea by you?"

He stands awkwardly, "Yeah?" I bite my lower lip, "I was thinking about making dinner for Mom. You know, give her a break this year." He contemplates what I've just suggested and nods approvingly, "Yeah, just don't break the window."

I grimace at my son and at the memory, "I was thinking you could help." He taps his fingers against the counter, "Is this some weird way to get us to bond or something?" One thing I hate about the traits he's inherited, he has both my bluntness and Raven's stubbornness.

I close my eyes in frustration, "Mom usually makes the dinner for the Orphanage across the street around this time. You think you could help make their dinner as well?"

Alex crosses his arms over his chest, "Well I was going to go into my room and read comic books, but since it's for mom, sure why not? I'll help."

That's the spirit.

* * *

"Where'd you learn to cut vegetables like that?" I ask my son as he's making turkey and ham sandwiches for the orphans.

He shrugs nonchalantly, "Mom and I used to cook sandwiches for our neighbors when I was little." I smile at him, "That's nice." He smiles to himself, "Yeah…something just mom and I did."

Sometimes I questioned if Alex enjoyed having me in his life. I know he and Raven would always have some family traditions just the two of them and I wondered if he thought I interfered.

Alex randomly began to laugh to himself. I raise an eyebrow, "What's so funny?" He shrugs, "Just remembering this time when I was 7, mom and I were making cookies for the kids on the 4th floor. We got into a food fight and got flour all over the cabinets."

I stop mashing the potatoes and just think to myself. Alex looks at me funny, "What's wrong Dad?"

I sigh and stare at my son. In a way, he looks like me (black hair, blue eyes, same bone structure, etc.) but I never see myself when I look at him.

"Do you…are you happy I came back in your life?" It was an odd question to ask a seventeen year old but, I was curious.

"You waited nine years to ask that?" Alex replies sarcastically. I roll my eyes at the typical Raven trait. He stops chopping vegetables, "It took a while to get used to you being around, considering it was usually just me and mom, but yes. I'm glad you're in my life. Mom would probably be more stressed then ever if you hadn't come back. And it's nice to have a dad around."

I smile at him and he gives me a genuine smile back. He resumes cutting, "Why…why did you leave in the first place? Mom never told me." I close my eyes and begin to squish potatoes again, "I made a mistake."

He nods, understanding that I don't feel comfortable talking about my biggest mistake. Alex shrugs, "You don't have to say why. You're here now, and that's what matters."

Sometimes, Raven and Alex seem too good, too pure, to be true. How I earned them I'll never know.

* * *

_**Raven**_

"Surprise!" yells Richard and Alex the minute I walk into the dining room. My eyes go wide. On the table is a small chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and some stuffing.

"You guys made dinner!"

Richard and Alex nod to each other proudly, "And we went ahead and gave made dinner for the orphanage. They really liked our sandwiches."

I run over and hug my favorite boys, "Aww that was so sweet."

They tighten their arms around me. Richard admits, "You always made it, so we thought it'd be nice if we did it for you this once."

* * *

As we're consuming this delicious dinner, I think about how different his would've been had Richard not come back.

Alex and I always spent New Years watching animated movies and eating popcorn. Once the movie was over we'd sit in front of the fireplace and make each other s'mores. Then I'd take him to the roof so we could watch the fireworks.

"You didn't have to do this," I tell Alex as he's helping me clean up while Richard was answering a work call.

"You always do things for me, Mom. I wanted to repay the debt." I kiss his cheek and cradle his face. He's slightly taller than me now. He looks so much like Richard now.

"You've grown so much, baby boy," I point out. I see a light blush sweep at his cheek. "Mom," he whines. I kiss his nose, "I can't believe you're going to be going to college soon. Then you'll grow up and have your own life, no more time for your mommy."

He puts the dishes down and wraps me in a hug. He buries his face in my neck as I tightly embrace my son. He whispers, "I love you, Mom." I pull away and smile widely at him, "I'm so proud of the man you're becoming. Now go away, I don't want you to see your mom crying."

He smiles and looks down at his watch, "The fireworks are starting!" I laugh as I watch him run up to the roof, just as Richard walks back into the room. Sometimes my young man could still be a little boy.

I take Richard's hand, "C'mon. We better make sure he didn't bother any of the neighbors."

* * *

_**Richard**_

Raven and I are sitting on the concrete of the roof as Alex is leaning against the edge of the roof.

"I can't believe that's our son," Raven points out, "I still see that little boy that would slide down the snow in a cardboard box."

I nuzzled her hair with my nose, "I'm sorry I was gone for that time." She shakes her head and fits her head perfectly underneath my chin, "Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Richard. You're here now."

I kiss her perfect head, "He's going to be a great man one day. He's going to be kind and caring just like his mom." She smiles and kisses my neck, "You want him to be run-down by community service?" I laugh, "It'd be nice, but we have enough humanitarians in the family."

I stare at my wife in all her beautiful glory. Her hair was flowing underneath her snow hat. The snow would lightly caress her hair landing peacefully. She looked just so beautiful.

"I love you Raven." She smiles, "Good, because I love you too."

"Mom, Dad, look!" Sometimes I can't believe that he's seventeen.

I wrap both my arms around Raven and pull her into my lap. Staring at my watch, I begin to countdown, "5…4…3…2…1."

"Happy New Year, Raven." I whisper against her soft lips. She kisses me firmly, and pulls away to say, "Happy New Year, Richard."

* * *

**This one was short because I don't really know how someone might write a New Years one shot. I hope you all enjoyed though!**

**Please Read and Review, that'd be great :)**


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